Would more people be alive if the Black Death/Great Plague did not happen?

Question

Would more people be alive if the Black Death/Great Plague did not happen?
Please can you answer saying how many people would be alive, if it did not happen and then could you please expand on it.
I would be very greatful if you did!

Answer 1

This is an interesting question, bearing in mind that the Black Death killed a third of the population of Europe. My guess is that the population today would be about the same. Populations tend to grow to a size which is sustainable. If there hadn't been a Black Death there may well have been pressures on the food supply etc which might have led to wars, and deaths would have occurred as a result of that. Alternatively, there could have been famine if the population grew too great to be supplied by the primitive agricultural methods and systems then in use. The feudal system would not have broken down as quickly as it did and that could have led to tensions and fighting.